


Digital Controller

by Daiya_Darko



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Child Abuse, Detectives, Dubious Consent, Emotional Manipulation, Exhibitionism, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Internet Predator, M/M, POV Multiple, Sexual Coercion, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-09
Updated: 2013-08-22
Packaged: 2017-12-22 21:10:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/918057
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daiya_Darko/pseuds/Daiya_Darko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is about Leonard McCoy. This is about young Jim Kirk. This is about Hikaru Sulu fresh out of the academy. This is about Spock, in love for the first time, and Nyota Uhura for once wondering when the lines between work and pleasure got so blurred. Ultimately, this is about Pavel Chekov and how his disappearance affects people he doesn't even know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The initial chapters won't be terribly explicit, but the rest of this story is not porn. Sex is a major topic in this fic, but it is not _the_ focus of this fic. This is about loneliness, desperation, low self-esteem, and what happens when all three of those mix together too long.

_San Francisco Chronicle - August 19th, 2013_

 

**CHILD GENIUS GOES MISSING - POLICE SUSPECT INTERNET INVOLVEMENT**

_by Nyota Uhura_

 

_The streets of the Bay Area should be shining bright with the summer sun, but the sudden disappearance of one young, Pavel Andreievich Chekov has everyone - especially parents - walking under the shadow of fear and regret._

_“I just don’t understand how this could happen,” father Andrei Chekov laments to the SFGate. “He was always such a careful child. He hardly made friends because he was afraid to speak to strangers.”_

_Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. The authorities have yet to release an official statement, but an anonymous tells us investigators tried to search Pavel Chekov’s personal computer. They found it mostly wiped of any traces of internet activity, causing alarm bells to sound off in Andrei’s head._

_“He is always on that computer, always working so hard. If there’s nothing on it now, that means there was something before.”_

_Pavel’s disappearance is not the first of its kind, nor will it be the last. Earlier this year, a Maine teen went missing after meeting a man she met online. While most who go missing are often teenage girls, half of whom have been subjected to abuse at home, it is rare that a young boy, nearly a man, would go missing for no reason. Pavel is enrolled at University of California, Berkeley, but resides in the Bay Area when not at school. This upcoming fall would be his final year of college, as he plans to graduate with a degree in applied mathematics and physics._

 

**Then**

“I do not want to go to MIT!” Pavel yelled at his father. It made his head dizzy to raise his voice, to actually stand up for what he wanted for once. But he had no choice - his father had been trying to run his life since his mother had died, and sometimes Pavel thinks she’s lucky to have gotten out from Andrei’s oppressive clutches. Pavel loved science, loved studying the stars, but he didn’t want to be forced into a school that wouldn’t benefit him. His father wanted him to go to Boston for his graduate degree, just to have the fancy name behind him; Pavel wanted to go to the University of Pittsburgh and chart the stars there, where John Brashear’s remains are buried.

“You’re too young to know what you want! You think any school will be okay when prestige matters!”

Pavel growled and tugged at his hair. He wasn’t going to cry, no matter how frustrated his father made him. “Pittsburgh has enough prestige! Just because you do not think it is the right kind does not mean it does not exist!”

Andrei rolled his eyes condescendingly and waved Pavel away. “You are giving me a headache, Pavel. Go play with your toys or whatever it is you do all day up there.”

Stomping up the stairs, Pavel tried to slow his breathing until his chest no longer felt like it would explode. He tapped a key on his laptop and sat on his bed, still vibrating with upset. Hopefully Len would be online, and then he could vent to someone who understood what he was going through.

Len was the only thing Pavel had lately that was consistently good since school ended last month. Len was usually online, always waiting when he needed him, and even when Len wasn’t online, he responded immediately when he returned. Len called him Pasha, a name Pavel hadn’t heard since his mother was still alive, and it warmed him deep inside. He had never seen Len’s face on a video chat, had only heard his voice a few times, but he had no choice but to trust him - Pavel had no other friends. Always being ahead of your age group meant being the outcast with people older than you and your age. No one wanted to befriend the brainiac, no matter how much parents doted on him. All Pavel did was breed resentment in their eyes; _Why can’t you be like Pavel?_

Pavel didn’t even want to be Pavel. He didn’t want these responsibilities entrusted to him. He just wanted to go to the mall and talk to cute girls and guys, maybe eat pretzels and hotdogs. Instead, he spent all his time studying and playing games online.

Meeting Len was the highlight of his life.

‘Len?’

_Hey kid._

‘My dad and I had another fight.’

_I’m sorry to hear that. Grad school?_

‘Yeah’

_Christ when is he gonna learn that youre pretty much an adult already?_

Pavel sobbed with relief. Len _gets_ it.

‘Idk but im so sick of being here. He doesnt let me even go out unless it’s for school.’

_Even if you could where would you go_

Pavel’s hands hovered over the keyboard. ‘Id go to you’

There was a long paused before Len began typing his response. _Do you want to come stay with me for a while? Just until things cool down with your dad. I dont like the idea of him putting his hands on you again._

What Len said was true; Andrei had grown more openly violent after his mother’s death, and on more than one occasion, he’d beaten Pavel bloody. On those nights, Len would enable his mic and read Pavel stories from Roman mythology. Pavel fell asleep those nights to a deep, soft, southern accent telling him about the stars he loved so much.

‘Could I?’

_Can you get away with it?_

‘I will tell him I am going on a week-long camping trip to watch the stars with the school.’

_Cool. When do you wanna do it?_

Pavel bit his lip as he heard the door to the wine cellar slam shut. If his father was drinking tonight...

‘Can it be tonight?’

Another long pause. _Yeah. Meet me down by the Waterfront? Sam’s?_

‘Yes. I will tell him and pack a bag. See you at 6?’

_Wouldn’t miss it for the world._

‘Thank you so much. I love you, Len.’

_Love you too, Pasha._

And he did. Pavel knew he did because Len had told him many times, had expressed it in sending him gifts like his Celestron NexStar 8 SE telescope. It was more than Pavel could afford, and he knew his father wouldn’t buy it for him, but Len sent it to him with a framed copy of “The Old Astronomer to His Pupil.” He also sent a simple, short, hand-written letter saying, “Like you have loved the stars, I have loved you too fondly to be fearful of society. Find us a new world where we can go be together, and I will write you a thousand poems for every star you chart along the way.”

Pavel was in love, completely and hopelessly.

Len never told him his full name and only showed him one picture because of the age difference. _You’re still underage and I already have a career; when you’re 18, I’ll tell you everything you want to know_ , Len had promised.

Now, as Pavel packed up a hiking backpack with clothes, he would finally get to see, hear, and touch this man in person. The latter was the most important to Pavel; Len was the only person to ever tell him how handsome he looked and state clearly, I want you.

After about six months of friendly talking, Len stated his feelings. _I feel so wrong for wanting you. If people knew that I was this grown man pining after someone they considered a child, I would be deemed unfit for this world. But you make it worth it._

‘There are an infinite amount of worlds, Len,’ Pavel had reassured him, ‘and on one of them, we can be together.’

_I’d like that. I’d like any world where I could protect you from your father and just hold you at night._

Their conversation had switched then to a more sexual nature, and in spite of his strict upbringing, Pavel found himself sending pictures to Len, eagerly awaiting a response.

_You’re the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen, Len told him. I love you just the way you are; you dont need to be ashamed or shy._

If this was wrong, as wrong as the news always warned, then Pavel was happy to risk everything just to hear someone tell him his knobby knees and sharp elbows were cute, that his curls and sharp cheekbones and button nose were desirable. Len made him feel mature and desired, something Pavel couldn’t get anywhere else.

Pavel packed his laptop, then booted up his desktop and deleted any files and programs that would raise suspicion. He didn’t want to risk his father finding out anything, even though he only used his desktop for school now. His father didn’t know about the laptop, the one with a built in webcam that Pavel always had on so that Len could see him at any given moment. It was another one of Len’s gifts, when Pavel had told him he had no webcam and no money for one.

The bag sagged heavily against Pavel’s back, but it was still lighter than the usual gear he carried. As opposed to complete wilderness and hiking equipment, clothes, a laptop, and one of the smaller telescopes was still about a hundred times lighter than everything else. He quietly descended the stairs, looking for his father, and found him passed out on the kitchen table. Pavel rolled his eyes and left him a note - _Gone to the stargazing hike with the school._ With any luck, his father wouldn’t think twice; whatever Pavel did with the school related to astronomy, Andrei did not want to know.

Pavel pushed open the front door and locked it before walking away.

 

**Now**

“Who wants to tell me how the hell Uhura knows what she knows?” Captain Pike asks the room full of officers and detectives. No one raises their hand or even looks up.

“Pathetic,” he mutters. “Kirk, in my office, now. Everyone else is dismissed. I wanna know if this kid had a MySpace, a Facebook, Twitter, or whatever else they’re using these days.”

Inspector Jim Kirk stands and follows Pike to his office, already preparing a defense for himself. This time, it really wasn’t Kirk’s fault that Uhura knew those details.

“I know you like to get your dick wet and I respect that, I really do, but when it causes abrupt panic and alarm in parents across the Bay Area, I have a major problem!” Pike yells before Kirk can even close the door.

“I know what it looks like, Captain, but it wasn’t me this time,” Kirk raises his hands in protest. “You might want to talk to Spock, however - “

“Spock doesn’t have a problem keeping it in his pants!”

“With all due respect sir, you don’t know Inspector Spock like I do!” Kirk snaps. “Why don’t you pull up his phone call history, alright? I warned him that she’s a fuckin’ sneak. Not my fault she managed to get something out of him.”

Pike rubs his eyebrows tiredly and folds over his desk. “Please tell me we have some development on this case.”

Kirk sits, crossing his legs. “Nothing out of the ordinary for a seventeen-year-old preparing to graduate with a double major, sir.”

Pike snorts. “Then tell me what we’ve got.”

“Visited the school site mostly, checked out the grad programs of some universities out east, a message board about the show Dexter, a message board about telescopes, Yahoo! Mail, and Skype.”

“Can we pull his Skype chat history? What about his emails?”

“We’re still working on those, sir.”

“Alright, you’re dismissed,” Pike finally says. “And tell Spock not to see Uhura anymore. She’s good at her job only because others are terrible at their own.”

Kirk retreats back to his desk, casting a quick scowl at Spock as he passes. For someone who could recite protocol down to a T and harps on Kirk about the law, Spock often cast that shit to the wind at the first glance of it being convenient for him.

“Inspector Kirk!” Scott, the resident genius in computer forensics jogs after Kirk carrying a thick stack of manila folders in front of him. “You ought to take a look at this.”

Kirk turns around and takes the folders as Scott tries to catch his breath. “Skype got back to us. We have transcripts of every single conversation, tapes of their phone calls...” Scotty trails off, bracing for the anticipated onslaught of curses.

Kirk glares at him. “But?”

“But, sir, this is a throwaway email address. Both of them are, logged through changing DNS addresses. And the conversations in this folder show no example of explicit conversations, and only goes for six months from two years ago.”

Kirk throws the folder on his desk and tugs at his hair. “Are you fucking kidding me?”

“I know, inspector, I’m sorry, but if we could find another computer terminal or another email...” Scotty winces when Kirk kicks his desk.

The files slide out, page after page of conversations between Chekov and their mystery man, but the email addresses the usernames they’re attached to don’t lead anywhere except a defunct site hosted in the Czech Republic and no longer active. Just skimming over the transcripts, Kirk can feel his skin crawl. They’re just talking about things they have in common, but their perp occasionally throws in praises and reassurances for Chekov. Then, he insists on having Chekov’s address in order to send him a new laptop “for school,” but Kirk knows already it’s for far more sinister reasons.

Kirk shuts the file and looks across the room to Spock. “Spock, we’ve got some reading to do.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made a mix for this story, since it's been inspired by a song and continually motivated by various other songs: http://8tracks.com/daiyadarko/digital-controller

 

**Then**

When Pavel saw the long shadow stop next to his, he looked up in surprise. Len looked far different from his picture - he looked _more_ handsome. His jaw was strong, set, eyes a hazy green, brow furrowed, lips full, with a head of thick, dark hair and matching stubble across his chin. He almost towered over Pavel, seemingly even taller in his black dress shirt and grey, pleated slacks. Pavel noted the gold chain hanging around his neck beneath the shirt and the ring that dangled from it. Something in his heart twisted uncomfortably.

But then Len smiled and leaned down to kiss his cheek, and all anxiety and worries slipped away.

“You hungry? We could grab something around here or order in at my house.” Len’s hand rested on Pavel’s shoulder, warm and firm, and Pavel felt his face flush.

“I would like to order a pizza? If that is alright?”

Len grinned, mouth wide and full of bright teeth. “Sure, Pasha.”

Pavel swayed on his feet at the sound of his diminutive on the lips of such a wonderful, caring man. He let Len guide him towards where a black pickup was parked, and felt himself buzzing with anticipation. Len’s hand never moved from his shoulder until he offered to take Pavel’s bag and tossed it into the bed of the truck.

Pavel wasn’t sure what they were supposed to talk about now that they were together, and he sat quietly in the passenger seat as Len checked something on his phone. Then, Len’s hand was gently rubbing the nape of his neck, and Pavel sighed softly.

“You okay?” Len asked, eyes full of concern.

Nodding, Pavel smiled. “I just have never done something like this before, nor have I ever lied to my father.”

“Scared?”

Pavel chuckled and shook his head. “No, I am not afraid. Thank you again, Len.”

Len leaned forward and kissed Pavel gently on the side of the mouth, the hand around Pavel’s neck squeezing affectionately. “You’re even sweeter in person, Pasha.”

All at once, Pavel covered his face as he felt his cheeks flush with heat, and shook his head. “Do not say such things. You are embarrassing me.”

Len laughed deep and heartily, pulling Pavel’s hands away from his face to blow a raspberry on his cheek. “You better get used to it. I’m not a lying man, and you’re awfully gorgeous, hon.”

Giggling, Pavel pushed at Len’s chest, but let him sneak one more kiss in, this time fuller and harder on the mouth. Pavel kissed back, wanting to lengthen the contact, but Len pulled away and ruffled his hair.

“We’ve got all weekend for that stuff. Right now, I’m more concerned with a good pizza and getting out of my work clothes.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I interrupt you?” Pavel briefly panicked as Len pulled the truck out into traffic.

“Nah,” Len shook his head. “I just hadn’t gotten a chance to relax yet. When I get in from work, I usually just get on the computer to check on you and then relax. I like to know you’re alright.”

Blushing again, Pavel fiddled with the hem of his shirt and stared out the window. “You don’t have to fuss over me.”

“I like fussing over you. I also like that goatee you’ve been sporting lately. It looks good on you. How long have you had it now?”

Pavel relaxed into his seat. This was easy after all, just Len being his usual self and chatting as if they haven’t spent a year and a half only knowing each other online. He told Len that he has had this particular goatee for a couple of months now, but shaves when he feels like it. From the moment Pavel had been able to grow facial hair, he wore it proudly in order to prevent people from mistaking him for a child. Rubbing his chin self-consciously, Pavel wondered if maybe he should have shaved, but then remembered that Len just complimented him for it.

He dropped his hand into his lap and let himself enjoy this.

 

 

**Now**

Hikaru Sulu watches Scotty from across the break room table as he flips through files and directories on his laptop. He’s only been on the force for a few months, but this is the biggest case they’ve had in a while, and even though it’s very bad, it’s all very exciting.

“Need more coffee?” Hikaru asks as he takes a bite of sandwich. Scotty lets out a cry of frustration before sighing and nods. Wordlessly, Hikaru fetches him a refill and offers a bite of sandwich.

“Thanks, mate,” Scotty says in his thick brogue. “This kid was a little bloody genius, ya know. I thought he’d be like, one of the types to know only one or two areas and not know their way around computers, but Chekov? Ah, he’s a rare one alright,” Scotty mutters in mild appreciation.

Hikaru nods. “Well, keep up the good work then.” He doesn’t know what else to say, and this case has everyone stressed out. Hikaru was one of the first officers to report to the scene, and even there he could sense something wasn’t right.

Once he saw a picture of Chekov, however, Hikaru felt a cold grip of reality around his heart.

He knows Chekov.

Well, “know” is a loose term; Hikaru had just graduated from the same college Chekov’s enrolled at. In fact, they had taken introduction to psychology together as part of their required areas to fill. Hikaru hadn’t spoken to Chekov much, aside from asking a few questions about the class or an assignment, but he had always kept an eye out for him on campus, just in case others were cruel. Whether Chekov realized it or not, Hikaru had stared down more than one potential threat from a comfortable distance behind Chekov.

It’s just his nature to be protective of others, regardless of whether he knows them or not.

He can’t help but wonder if maybe Chekov wouldn’t have run off with someone on the internet if he had friends in real life, if maybe Hikaru had actually made his presence known...

Now, Hikaru screens calls from his desk from strangers calling with tips, suggestions that they may have seen a small, curly haired boy at some pier or bridge. None of the tips were actually helpful, but Hikaru can'tt actually tell them that.

He finishes his lunch and returns to work.

 

**Then**

Pavel laid back against the smooth, black, leather couch and sighed with heavy content. Having eaten and changed into some basketball shorts, he was more comfortable here than at his own house. He looked up when Len walked back into the room and smiled.

“I am stuffed.”

Len smirked as he made his way over to where Pavel lay. He lifted Pavel’s legs and sat, letting them fall into his lap. Running a cautious hand along Pavel’s skin, just to wear the shorts stopped, Len asked, “Any regrets yet?”

Pavel sat up on his forearms and blinked. “Why would I have regrets?”

Shrugging, Len looked down and frowned. “I’m kind of old for you, even if you will be eighteen soon. I’ve already got my own doctor practice and a divorce, but you’re just finishing college.”

It was true, Pavel had considered this, especially when Len finally revealed his age of thirty-two. Still, it was not enough to put Pavel off. Sitting up, he grabbed Len’s hand where it sat on his knee and said, “You are not too old for me. I am much more mature than I look.”

A look crossed Len’s face then, but Pavel couldn’t read it. “Yeah, you sure are. Want to watch something?”

Biting his lip, Pavel shook his head and crawled into a kneeling position so that he could straddle Len’s lap. “I only want to watch you,” he muttered, pressing his forehead against Len’s. Len’s eyes grew dark as he ran his hands up Pavel’s sides, dragging the shirt along with them before resting at Pavel’s shoulders.

“You don’t really want to do this,” Len warned, voice low and husky.

Pavel nodded frantically and kissed Len roughly on the mouth. “Da, I want this, I want you.”

There was a deep rumble from Len’s chest that made Pavel gasp as Len nipped at his lip. “Then tell me. Tell me what you want and make me believe you’re telling the truth.” One of Len’s hands slid down Pavel’s smooth back and came to a stop on Pavel’s ass, squeezing and rubbing slowly.

There was a moment of absolute silence as Pavel held his breath, then whispered, “I want you to touch me like you say you do when you see my pictures. Please, Len, I want to feel you.”

Without a single word, Len picks Pavel up in his arms, and Pavel squeaks in surprise as he wraps his arms around Len’s neck for support.

“That’s good enough for now, Pasha,” Len murmured into Pavel’s neck as he walked up the stairs, effortlessly carrying Pavel the entire way. Pavel thought he should feel embarrassed for being so small, but then Len hummed in pleasure as he squeezed Pavel’s ass a few more times, and all worries flew out the window.

Len didn’t try to fuck him that night. Pavel would look back on this night years down the road and remember how thoughtful Len had seemed, how he made Pavel feel special as he made him come twice with his hands and mouth.

Pavel fell asleep without a single thought on his mind.

 

**Now**

There were more people trying to be helpful than needed, and they were all wasting Kirk’s time. As he escorts the final person out, he catches Spock’s eye from across the office and motions for him to come see him.

“AT&T got back to us with reports of their data usage. Chekov didn’t visit any suspicious sites, of course there is heavy Skype usage, but we don’t know the username he used during the past year and a half. We just know that Len wanted his address to send him a laptop.”

Spock appears pensive for a moment, then asks, “Should we ask the neighbors if they have noticed unusual activity around the house?”

“This man is smart, Spock, smart enough to get Chekov using something else before they could have incriminating evidence left around. And speaking of smart,” Kirk shoves the file into Spock’s chest, “Pike chewed me out for Uhura’s article.”

Spock tilts his head in a confused manner. “I do not follow.”

“Of course you don’t. Do me a favor - next time you bang a reporter insist on wearing a gag. Makes it harder for her to get info out of you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have someone to meet.”

“You are not staying to work?”

“Work with what? AT&T isn't trying to help, Skype is surprisingly quiet, probably to cover their own ass about how much data they save, and the most recent pictures we have of him are four year old newspaper prints because Andrei Chekov is a lousy father. ” Kirk frowns, frustrated that he’s so emotionally invested already. He could tell once he met Andrei that Chekov was not happy; Andrei was a pathetic, sad, little man who smelled of body odor and too much cologne and heavy liquor. The house was a mess, except for Chekov’s room, that locked from the outside. Kirk wants to find the kid to make sure he’s safe, but at the same time, he can’t help but sympathize. Parents like Andrei, like Kirk’s stepfather, were the reason they ran away.

Kirk ran away on his eighteenth birthday and never looked back; no one had even reported him missing. Likewise, Andrei waited a week and a half before reporting Chekov missing only after receiving a letter stating that Chekov was running away.

Slipping into his car, Kirk tries to shake the memories from his head. He can’t let his personal feelings affect this investigation. He’s already done enough work; Spock can handle the rest.

Besides, there’s a party tonight at Bones’ and Bones apparently has a new friend.

The idea of Bones with anyone he calls “a friend” is laughable to Kirk. When he first met Bones at that run-down Greyhound station in Mississippi, Bones looked like the last person in the world who wanted a friend. Tall, brooding, dark...Kirk still has no clue why he was standing around that rainy day, the air hot and thick with humidity, and Bones refuses to give him a straight answer.

But Bones had taken one look at the dripping wet kid before him, extinguished his cigarette, and beckoned to Jim with a quick nod.

_“Whatcha doin’ out here, boy?”_

_“Does everyone sound like you around here?”_

_“Worse. Answer my question.”_

_“Give me a cigarette.”_

_“That’s not how this works; you get your reward after you do what I want and I want you to answer my question.”_

_Jim didn’t even blink as the words fell from his mouth. “Is that all you want me to do?”_

_Bones’ eyebrow raised in question, and then he laughed. “You’re probably too young for me, kid.”_

_“I’m eighteen; I’m not a kid.”_

_“Yeah, and my body isn’t being structurally supported by some two hundred bones. You’re as much a kid as I am human.”_

_Jim snatched a cigarette from Bones’ pack before he could be stopped. “So you’re bones, huh?”_

_“And you’re jailbait.”_

_“For a place to sleep tonight, I could be whatever you wanted.”_

_At that, Bones lit the cigarette between Jim’s lips and nodded. He took him home, let Jim use the shower, and gave him a bowl of soup. But when Jim climbed into Bones’ lap, Bones shoved Jim right back into the seat next to him on the couch._

_“I don’t wanna fuck you, Jim,” Bones sighed into his beer. “I just didn’t want anyone else to. You look like you couldn’t last a day on your own.”_

_Indignant, Jim stood and yelled, “I’ve been taking care of myself for years!”_

_Bones didn’t even look up at him, unfazed by the shouting. “There’s a difference between Bumfuck, Iowa and the inner city. No one to try and sell you for a pint of beer out there, but out here, you could make a couple thousand a night if people knew your pretty little ass was virgin. You barely look sixteen and you've got a pretty mout _h_ ; I'm doin'  you a favor.”_

_Jim balled his fists tightly and sniffed._

_Now, Bones looked up. “You cryin?”_

_“No.”_

_“If it means that much to you, you can suck my dick. Just don’t go gettin’ any ideas and expecting me to daddy you.”_

_Jim swallowed as Bones shoved his shorts to the floor and spread his knees. Jim didn’t want anyone to daddy him, didn’t want a daddy at all._

_He just wanted someone to take care of him, and Bones did that._

“You okay, Jim?”

Jim’s eyes refocused as he looked up from the couch at Bones watching him worriedly. After all these years, Bones still cares.

Jim grins and nods, standing up to hug his friend. “Sorry, zoned out there. Been so busy at work with this case and all.”

“Yeah, I heard about that. Some kid named Chekov, right?” Bones slides another beer into Jim’s hand, taking the empty bottle instead.

“Yeah, but I can’t tell you much about what we know. But between you, me, and the nearest tree? I don’t suspect foul play except from the kid’s dad. He reminds me too much of Frank to not be the same issue. He didn’t even report Pavel missing until way after the fact.”

Bones snorts. “Lousy fuckin’ parenting makes my job harder.”

“Oh yeah, how’s the pediatric office?”

“Running smoother than melted butter in a hot pan. Got this great nurse, Christine, you might like her. She’ll be here tonight.”

“Great,” Jim grins. He notices a head of dark, unruly hair pop up behind Bones, and narrows his eyes at Bones playfully. “This your new friend?”

Bones looks behind him in surprise, then smiles. Slinging an arm around the thin man’s shoulders, Bones introduces, “Jim, this is Devin. Devin, my best friend Jim.”

“Wow, I’ve graduated from ‘chronic pain in the ass’ to ‘best friend’!”

“And you’re about to be demoted to just above hemorrhoids if you don’t quit,” Bones growls, but the mirth in his eyes belies his harsh words.

Jim shakes Devin’s hand and takes in his appearance. A little short for Bones’ tastes, and a brunet, also weird for Bones’ tastes in men. But his thick, curly brown hair almost falls into his eyes, and the small, patchy goatee is somewhat cute. He can see why Bones would be interested.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Devin says quietly, smiling shyly. Jim changes his assessment - he knows exactly why Bones likes Devin.

“Same. Don’t let him get too bossy, you hear?” Jim winks at Bones, laughing when Bones moves to smack him in the head.

“Have some class, kid,” Bones says, and Jim fights to keep his smile steady. It’s been a long time since Bones called him ‘kid’, and Jim nearly misses it.

But he sees the way Devin leans into Bones’ side and realizes this is something far deeper than just a new fucktoy for the camsites.

Jim drinks down the taste of sour jealousy and smiles.

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the song, "Digital Controller" by Flux Pavillion.  
> Inspiration taken from the song and personal experiences.


End file.
